Author Topic: Game Your Active Commute!  (Read 2441 times)

beav80

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Game Your Active Commute!
« on: October 23, 2012, 11:07:33 AM »
I starting timing my walk to work, and sometimes my bike and found that when I'm trying to beat the clock I really enjoy the commute. Why not make a game of it. Just an idea, but I really like some ideas I've come across about making good things games.  I've come across it through the work of Jane McGonigal but I'm sure she's not alone.

The idea would be to lay out some guidelines and rules for an active commute game.  For those of us working this could be every workday, for those who are FIRE it could be a regular commitment (kids to school, etc.).

The game:

Time your active commute and then,

Get extra points (+1) for:

New Record Times
Saying Hello to somebody
Feet Touch grass or snow (walking)
Wheels off road on bike trail, dirt trail, or grass (biking)
Short Cuts
Jumping a fence (walking)
Wearing your helmet (biking)
Persisting in crappy weather
Touching a landmark (I have a Zen Buddha centre on my way)


Lose Points (-5) for:

Mouth breathing (gross, this could be harder for bikers)
Bad Form (walk like a king/queen, bike like Lance Armstrong before he was dethroned)
Impeding walkers, bikers, or road traffic
Slow Poking (two or more minutes off record time depending on distance)
Using a car or bus on a planned walk/bike day

Anybody?  Too silly?  We could start in November and track daily in the journals.  Whoever wins will be crowned king/queen for a day.


yolfer

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Re: Game Your Active Commute!
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2012, 01:13:50 PM »
I'm reading Reality is Broken right now, and I love this idea! I play little games (while staying safe) during my ride to work. Like "how fast can I sprint this block?" But I never thought of putting a point system in place.

beav80

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Re: Game Your Active Commute!
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2012, 01:47:24 PM »
Maybe that could be extra points for a speed section, kind of like the speed strips they used to have in racing games.  Pick a block or a portion of the commute and get extra points for beating your last time?

+1 for record time on speed strip


An idea I had for rules on extra points:

1. Extra points can only be added once per day a.k.a one short cut is +1, 10 short cuts, +1
2.  Points can be taken for every instance of minus points a.k.a bad form in the morning, -5, bad form in morning and at night, -10.

+10 extra points for one total week of active commuting?

Bullseye

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Re: Game Your Active Commute!
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2012, 12:39:57 PM »
I use an app on my (free, work pays) iPhone called Strava.  On any kind of route that others use, you'll find 'segments' where it will automatically rank you against others.  Create your own segments if you need to.  On my bike commute, there are a few, usually on a straightaway road from one light to another, or up or down a big hill.  It's very fun to compete against other people, even if you don't know them, and to move up in rankings for segments. 

You can do this for running or biking there.